The 21 Best Packaged Supermarket Foods from the Last 20 Years
Fill your grocery cart with these Men's Health Best Foods for Men all-stars.
Our product picks are editor-tested, expert-approved. We may earn a commission through links on our site. Why Trust Us?
Could a trip to the supermarket change your life? It’s not crazy, at least we don’t think so. For the past two decades, editors from this magazine have trawled the grocery aisles for the products most deserving of our cart space. A few winners have turned into regulars in our own home kitchens, where we swear they make snacks and meals taste better while also making us feel better about our health. Put these staples on your shopping list. Reap the benefits. And (maybe) change your life.
A NOTE ABOUT THIS LIST: We narrowed down the pool to the past ten years of awards. (Too many products from the early days are now unavailable.) Then we tallied the honors to determine which items have collected the most mentions over those ten years. We checked these winningest products for current availability and compared them with the rest of their competitors to ensure that they still stand as champions. In general, a Best Food tastes great (rigorous taste tests are our favorite part of the job) and contains the most protein and fiber for the fewest calories and added sugars. We also prize short ingredient lists and organic products. Here’s where we landed.
Organic Valley Reduced Fat 2% Milk
TOTAL AWARDS: 8
Whole, 2 percent, or skim used to be the only real choice you had to make in the supermarket milk section. Now there’s almond milk, soy milk, hemp milk, and oat milk. Look, those alterna-milks help people with food allergies, but for most of us, real cow’s milk still reigns supreme. It tends to contain more protein and less added sugar, and it flat-out tastes better than those options. If this milk were a sports team, it would be the 1959 to 1966 Boston Celtics, because it’s won eight consecutive awards. And
for good reason: It’s supremely creamy with no weird aftertaste. Not sure about its jump shot, though.
PER CUP: 130 calories, 8g protein, 12g carbs (0g fiber), 5g fat
Rustic Crust Organic Pizza Originale
TOTAL AWARDS: 8
Whole-wheat flour and flaxseed build a fiber-rich foundation for DIY pies. In an era when fast-food chains hold their cheap pizzas to the oh-so-lofty standard of “hot” and “ready,” there’s all the more reason to bake your own tastier pizza at home.
PER 1/6 CRUST: 140 calories, 5g protein, 27g carbs (2g fiber), 2g fat
King Arthur Premium 100% Whole Wheat Flour
TOTAL AWARDS: 7
This pick commands the throne because it doesn’t undergo bleaching, a process that strips nutrition and flavor. The result: nutty-tasting, fiber-rich, soul-satisfying bread, biscuits, waffles, and flapjacks.
PER 1/4 CUP: 100 calories, 4g protein, 22g carbs (3g fiber), 1g fat
Heinz Organic Tomato Ketchup
TOTAL AWARDS: 6
They slap “organic” on everything nowadays. But this organic-fied product has negligible calories and only four grams of sugar.
PER TBSP: 20 calories, 0g protein, 5g carbs (0g fiber), 0g fat
Uncle Ben's Ready Rice Whole Grain Brown Rice
TOTAL AWARDS: 6
Let’s be honest: Cauliflower rice isn’t that great. It stinks up your fridge, and, really, who does it think it’s fooling with the texture? Uncle Ben’s tear-nuke-eat option causes no stress (and no stench!) and delivers an al dente bite.
PER CUP: 190 calories, 5g protein, 39g carbs (3g fiber), 3g fat
Arrowhead Mills Organic Steel Cut Oats
TOTAL AWARDS: 6
Not only do these oats have a bit more protein than others we analyzed, but they have a pleasant chew that makes them our breakfast champion. Sorry, Quaker Oats guy.
PER 1/4 CUP: 160 calories, 6g protein, 27g carbs (4g fiber), 3g fat
Guinness Draught
TOTAL AWARDS: 4
This beer was collecting trophies long before the craft boom. Guinness stands as the best-tasting lower-calorie beer you can find anywhere.
PER 11.2 OZ: 126 calories, 0g protein, 9g carbs (0g fiber), 0g fat
Applegate the Great Organic Uncured Beef Hot Dog
TOTAL AWARDS: 7
Men’s Health is recommending a hot dog? First off, Applegate was making this dog 100 percent grass-fed back in 2015—when the term wasn’t so commercialized. And second, the company seasons
the meat with a spicy-savory blend of cayenne, coriander, ginger, mace, paprika, and white pepper. With seven titles in ten years, you could say it’s on a roll.
PER HOT DOG: 110 calories, 7g protein, 0g carbs (0g fiber), 9g fat
Eggland's Best Organic Eggs
TOTAL AWARDS: 7
Before these huevos came along, you were likely beholden to whatever sad house brand your grocery store carried. Eggland’s Best credits a proprietary all-vegetarian feed for producing a stronger shell, a brighter-yellow yolk, and a fresher egg with superior flavor and nutrition. Still haven’t had one? Crack two in a cold pan with a knob of butter and then turn the heat to medium low. Cook, stirring with a spoon, until puffy and creamy.
PER EGG: 60 calories, 6g protein, 0g carbs (0g fiber), 4g fat
Breyers Natural Vanilla Ice Cream
TOTAL AWARDS: 4
As of 2019, you can now buy “ice cream” made from coconut milk, soy milk, and almond milk. Yet none can compete with this creamy cow’s-milk-based pick. Because if you’re going to eat ice cream, why settle for a fake-sugar-laden impostor?
PER 1/2 CUP: 130 calories, 2g protein, 14g carbs (0g fiber), 7g fat
Bionaturae Organic Whole Wheat Pasta
TOTAL AWARDS: 4
In 2012, these noodles beat out a host of healthy brands for their “satisfying bite.” Chickpea- and-lentil-based products have come to market, but we still can’t find a dried pasta that’s as flavorful and easy to cook as this one.
PER 2 OZ: 210 calories, 6g protein, 43g carbs (4g fiber), 2g fat
Philadelphia Whipped Cream Cheese
TOTAL AWARDS: 5
The whipping halves the calorie count, and it’s great on a turkey sandwich, in sauteed greens, or, fine, on a toasted bagel.
PER 2 TBSP: 50 calories, 0g protein, 2g carbs (0g fiber), 4g fat
Wild Planet Pink Salmon
TOTAL AWARDS: 4
Before Wild Planet was founded in 2004, canned salmon looked and tasted like cat food. But its version is meaty and tastes close to fresh. We’ve never gone back to the old brands, and neither should you. Bonus: Wild Planet’s sources are sustainable.
PER 3 OZ: 90 calories, 18g protein, 0g carbs (0g fiber), 2g fat
Organic Valley Monterey Jack Cheese
TOTAL AWARDS: 5
Like its milk, Organic Valley’s cheeses have a deep, creamy flavor that makes them perfect for snacking on with a crisp apple or ripe pear.
PER 1 OZ: 100 calories, 7g protein, 0g carbs (0g fiber), 9g fat
Tuong Ot Sriracha Hot Sauce
TOTAL AWARDS: 3
Intensely spicy, a tinge garlicky, and ever-so-slightly tangy—the green-topped powerhouse deserves its place in what now seems like every diner, fast-casual chain, and kitchen pantry in America.
PER 1 TSP: 5 calories, 0g protein, 1g carbs (0g fiber), 0g fat
Bell & Evans Organic Chicken (Breast or Whole Chicken)
TOTAL AWARDS: 6
This Pennsylvania-based company doesn’t give its
chickens antibiotics, which, okay, plenty of brands have stopped doing. But Bell & Evans also “air chills” its birds, which seals in the natural juices, eliminating the need for the chilled chlorinated water that other producers use. This chicken is good for you and actually tastes like chicken.
PER SKINLESS BREAST: 120 calories, 27g protein, 0g carbs (0g fiber), 2g fat
California Olive Ranch Extra Virgin Olive Oil Every Day
TOTAL AWARDS: 4
A pantry staple of ours since 2012, this oil is smooth and well balanced between buttery
and spicy flavors. And it’s equally well-suited for sauteing Brussels sprouts and drizzling over cooked pasta. Recently the company started blending olive oils from around the world instead of growing and processing all its olives in California, but you wouldn’t know it from the taste.
PER TBSP: 120 calories, 0g protein, 0g carbs (0g fiber), 14g fat
Oberto Original Beef Jerky
TOTAL AWARDS: 3
We were recommending jerky as a go-to high-protein snack long before “artisanal” boutique brands started hawking Wagyu jerky in fancy flavors. This brand sticks to what works: simple seasonings on great-tasting beef.
PER 1 OZ: 80 calories, 10g protein, 8g carbs (0g fiber), 1g fat
Illy Ground Coffee
TOTAL AWARDS: 3
Back when it wasn’t so trendy to carry around a cup with a mermaid on it, people did this crazy thing called making their own coffee at home. Illy has routinely delivered the best ground beans without the need for mocha, a shot of vanilla, or a whip.
PER 4 OZ CUP: 3 calories
Bob's Red Mill Organic Whole Grain Quinoa
TOTAL AWARDS: 5
These pearls of complete protein have always been a favorite. The Bob’s version comes pre-rinsed, so you can eat faster.
PER 1/4 CUP: 170 calories, 6g protein, 32g carbs (5g fiber), 2g fat
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